Food For Thought
by korralations
Summary: A Tokka one-shot. I did Tokka for one of my wonderful tumblr followers. A trip to the market sparks conversation. T for content and language.


**A/N:** I have to admit. I've seen Tokka around and all, and noticed a few little things in the show with Toph's tiny crush on Sokka, but never really gave it any thought. At all. So this is the first time writing it (I do this because I love you guys). I love writing Toph, though. Oh, and another A/N, whenever Toph talked to/about Sokka, she always got so much more girly and embarrassed and changed. It was so cute to see different sides of her :) I'm trying to pinpoint things here. Although this is, again, a first attempt, so be nice xD

Oh. And I'm really excited about the title. I thought it was clever. Okay :)

And I didn't edit.

Toph picks up a ripened apple, smoothing her thumb over the surface. No bumps or bruises. She plops it into her basket, continuing around the fruit stand.

"We have a wide variety of watermelons," the merchant's voice rang out, and Toph ignores her. "Right over here," she replies, walking closer to Toph, rapping on the echoing wood of a crate. "Best watermelons around. Can't be beat, just magnificent…"

The sun beats down on Toph's face, partially covered by her barely restrained bangs, and the heat presses into her skin. The clay bricks beneath her feet are warm and smoothed, smoothed by the countless carts and stands set up over them, smoothed by the footsteps of industry. All around her, the sounds of people talking echo, accompanied by a merry tsungi horn player further away. And the smells - baking fruit tarts, fresh fruit, the smell of roast duck and wood fire - they permeate the air around her, finishing the market as she knows it.

"Just because I'm blind doesn't mean that I don't know that those watermelons are the size of shriveled eggplants," Toph quips as the woman knocks her fist against the crate again. "And I'll beat you with them if you don't stop mentioning them."The woman scurries off behind the counter, and Toph smirks in her direction.

She picks out his footsteps among the myriad around her just a second before his arms wrap around her.

"Hey," Sokka whispers into her ear, swaying slightly with her.

She smiles as she feels his strong arm, the way they're tight around her waist, but the way his hands are so gently laid over her swollen stomach.

"Hi."

"Got a letter from Aang, by the way. Katara gave birth again, named 'im Tenzin."

"Look at Twinkletoes cranking out the babies!"

"And look at us," he grins, kissing her cheek quickly before stepping away and closer to the food stand.

"It took you ages to even man up and admit you liked me!" A swift punch finds its mark on his arm

"Me? Man up?"

"Yes, you! You were too much of a wuss to do anything about it for what - 7 years?"

"Eight, thank you!"

"And it's your fault it took us so long to get pregnant too - Sokka, just because you move slowly doesn't mean I don't know you're putting that in the basket," she sighs.

Sokka stops clean in his tracks, hands quivering above the basket. "It's seal jerky!"

"I swear you're going to be feeding this baby jerky and whale the moment it opens its eyes."

"Really? I thought I'd be feeding it bricks."

Another punch, and then the basket lifts from her hands.

"You're eight months pregnant. The least I can do is take the bask- wait. How is it my fault that it took a while for you to get pregnant?" He dumps another fruit into the basket and a package of seal jerky and begins to pay. As soon as he is walking beside her again, he sets toward the park pathway.

"You weren't man enough to ask me out so I figure you weren't man enough to knock me up either."

"Your faith in my manliness is _heartening_."

Comfortable silence reigns, and Toph mentally spouts off a string of curse words. She doesn't even walk anymore. She _waddles_. Pregnancy is so damn _inconvenient_. Sokka sits on a park bench, spreading out the food on the table, and she finds her way next to him.

The apple is scrumptious, and she wipes away the juice that dribbles down her chin carelessly.

The air is different here - more open, more free. The birds chirp in a melody that weaves in and out of itself, and it's fascinating in unto itself. The pine trees have a comforting smell that pierce the air, adding to the feel of the park. Peaceful. That's the feeling.

"I'm nervous," Toph says quietly, so quietly that Sokka almost misses it. She hears the quiet_thump_ as he places down the seal jerky.

"Why?"

"I…" she begins to feel stupid for mentioning it, for speaking up, but she has to finish the thought. "I'm scared the baby will be blind."

"Oh…"

His lackluster response further propels her embarrassment, and she scuffs her heel against the cool dirt. "Never mind, forget I said anything. It's stup-"

Her words cease as he pulls her into his arms, her face connecting with his chest. His hand smooths her hair, his lips press onto her forehead. "Don't think like that, okay?"

"Sokka-"

"No. And what if they are blind then? I'll still love him - or her - just as much as I love you, sight or no sight."

"You mean it?"

"Of course I do."

She pulls away, one hand resting under her stomach, and other nudging him roughly. "I knew you'd come through."

"Did you ever think I wouldn't? I mean, if my manliness is up for debate…


End file.
